There’s a saying: “You can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a job.” It’s a conundrum that defeats people before they even start applying. How do you beat it? The answer is simple: Do something else.
Focus on your grades
You should be doing this even if you have a job or internship, but working on your grades now will pay off later when the internship you’re applying for has a minimum GPA requirement. Schedule at least twenty minutes a day, per class, to study. I study right before I go to bed, so all the information can settle in my brain overnight.
Join a club
Ideally, you should find something that’s relevant to the jobs you want to apply for. If not, look for something that indirectly applies. Want to improve your writing? Join the college newspaper. Think you need to improve your public speaking? Go out for student government.
Stick with it and you’ll get promoted through the ranks, just like a real job. This will show employers that you can do the grunt work without complaining, take on responsibility when it’s required and have motivation to stick with things.
Volunteer
Volunteer positions are the best place to search for leadership roles, or show off your skills. The organizations want you to succeed in accomplishing their mission, and you’ll only do that if you’re placed in a position where you can be useful.
If you’re interested in social media, ask if you can help with marketing their latest fundraiser. Want to work on your interpersonal skills? Ask if you can help recruit people to donate or to join the team.
Be enthusiastic about the charitable work you’re doing, and you might find that several of your peers are more than happy to be references for you when that dream job comes around.
Network
Everywhere you go, you interact with people, and some of those people may have ways to help you get the job you want. If you show that you’re an enthusiastic, hard worker, they might recommend you for a job. You may not even have to go through the entire application process.
Even if you think the above scenario is unlikely, networking is a valuable skill in life because people will be willing to help you out. Just don’t forget that they did, and help them out too when they need it. “Quid pro quo” is the motto to live by in the professional world, and it’s never too early to start practicing.
Have any other suggestions? Let us know in the comments below!